Anatomical and biological preservatives typically used contained significant quantities of formaldehyde. The formaldehyde solutions fix the tissues of the specimen and preserve the specimen from decay. Many plant and animal species are preserved for academic study. Smaller life forms are immersed in a preservative. Larger vascular animals are injected in the circulatory system and elsewhere with a preservative. Although formaldehyde solutions have historically been the preservative fluid of choice, there are a number of drawbacks. Formaldehyde is associated with certain health and environmental risks. In the United States, worker exposure to formaldehyde is subject to regulation. Also, formaldehyde can cause problems with the specimen, because it dehydrates the tissue.
Alternative preservation fluids have been proposed including phenols, alcohols, and certain acid preparations. Other methods have included initially fixing the specimen in formaldehyde, rinsing the specimen and placing the specimen in another solution that does not include formaldehyde.
Human remains used for morbid anatomy study are included in the specimens needing preservation. The desire to eliminate exposure to formaldehyde has been examined by investigators involved in cadaver preservation. Wineski et al., "Phenoxyethanol as a Nontoxic Preservative in the Dissection Laboratory," Acta Anat. Vol. 136 pp. 155-158 (1989). The cadavers were embalmed by injection with about 24 liters of formaldehyde fluids. After embalming the cadavers were immersed or completely wrapped with cloth heavily soaked in phenoxyethanol. Exposure of workers to phenoxyethanol is preferable environmentally to formaldehyde. However, the success of the technique depended on good initial preparation of the cadavers with a formaldehyde fluid.
Other alternatives to formaldehyde include a formulation made with a 1,4-dioxane ring compound, U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,182; a process of pre-fixation with formaldehyde followed by preservation in glycols, U.S. Pat. No. 3,573,082; and solutions of starch glycerite for marine animals to preserve color, U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,944.